In the Library With the Candlestick
by music.movies.heart
Summary: Melanie Peacock is a horror writer that gets thrown into a real murder mystery while on her Christmas vacation. A vacation that she didn't even want to go on in the first place. Who can she trust in a house full of suspects?
1. December 16th, 1946

_Here's a Clue story! I'm not sure if I'm even going to continue considering that I haven't even come up with a proper plot yet, but I'll try. This is my second story done on a whim (I'm sensing a pattern here) so be gentle. Have fun reading and don't forget to please review!_

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><p><strong>December 16th<strong>**, 1946**

It had been at least forty-five minutes since Melanie Peacock last saw any houses on her drive to the Compass Manor. _This place is pretty secluded, which perfectly fine if you ask me. _The only reason she was wonderfully content with not having to have constant interaction with other people was simply because she never really liked people in the first place. At least, that's how it had come to be recently. The road she was traveling down was covered in leaves and branches, which was a clear indication that it hadn't been used frequently in years. She had heard of the vacation spot only a few days ago from her editor, Charlie Blanche.

Though Melanie was only in her late twenties, she had four number one horror novels published so far. A small but confident smirk appeared on her lips as she thought of that, but it quickly turned into a scowl. She was having a vacation instead of writing**_ another_** best-seller because her editor had said she was working _too hard_.

_Too hard? One can never work **too hard**. I suppose I can come up with an idea whilst here though. Charlie said I couldn't write on vacation, but he certainly didn't say anything about me not brainstorming._

Finally the wall of snow-covered trees opened up and revealed a shrubbery lined path guiding her to the Compass Manor. Despite the fact it hadn't had a constant stream of visitors in years, the manor was in pristine condition. Stones and wood layered the outside of the manor. Flowers and bushes laced the yard, though they were hidden by snow. The place was much prettier than Melanie had expected.

Just as she slowly pulled up to the front door of the four-story manor, an uncomfortable feeling settled into the pit of her stomach. Although Melanie was irritated at her editor for forcing time off, she irritated at her mother as well. She hadn't been expecting her mother to completely desert her this Christmas, but she realized that she had no real reason to be angry since she never spent time with her anyways. They hadn't gotten together during the holidays together in years. Melanie's father died in late October. He died alone in an alleyway.

_I wish I had been there._

The feeling of guilt crept over her, but she quickly shrugged it off. Though Melanie took her father's death rather hard, her mother seemed suspiciously apathetic about it.

_'Well we all have to go sometime, don't we honey?' _ The scowl on the girl's face deepened when she thought of her mother. Mrs. Peacock flew off to Florida with some playboy soldier she had met at her **_own husband's_** funeral. Melanie's father was the commanding officer over the boy. It had been entirely possible that her parents had been unhappy since she left for university and she just hadn't noticed until now.

Sighing, she stepped out of her car and pulled her luggage from the trunk. Melanie walked past the small, wooden pillars and stepped towards the front door. She knocked but no one opened the door. She tried again but the result did not change. Slowly, she entered the double doors and was overwhelmed by what she saw. The place was absolutely stunning. A crystal chandelier hung above the entrance of the long, straight hallway. To her left was a winding staircase and to her right was a parlor consisting of a piano and a large wooden liquor cabinet. A portrait hung beside the front door of a balding man with a hawk-like nose wearing a green corduroy suit. Underneath the giant portrait was a plaque with the inscription _"Mr. Franklin Body- Owner of the Compass Manor"._

Melanie waited at the front door for anyone to show up. She was tempted to go upstairs by herself when she finally heard an urgent tapping of feet and a middle-aged man wearing a black tuxedo appeared in front of her.

"Hello Miss. I am Wadsworth the butler. I am terribly sorry for the wait."

"I'm Melanie Peacock and it's perfectly fine." She said as she handed him her bags. "I've never heard of butlers in a hotel before."

"Well, this place is not a hotel madam; it is a manor. I am also the only butler here, so I will be attending to all your and the other guests' needs. Though I do suppose my life would be much easier with multiple butlers, don't you think?" She politely nodded and followed him up the stairs. Wadsworth's proper English accent brought a small smile to her face.

"If you don't mind me asking, who all is staying here for Christmas?"

"Not at all, Miss Peacock. Right now, there are six people residing in the manor including yourself. There is myself and the owner; the rest are guests. However, two more are expected to show up later today." Melanie said nothing more as Wadsworth opened the door to her room, revealing a beautiful sight. The walls were painted a crimson red and the floor was made of mahogany. The bed had silky and gold sheets with dozens of pillows on top. Two doors were there aside from the entrance; the bathroom and the closet. Melanie smiled walking over to the window and peeked out onto the back lawn. What she saw was a little peculiar.

"Is that gentleman playing croquet in the snow?" she asked, sitting on my bed.

"Ah yes. Colonel Mustard is sort of an odd fellow. Please do not mind him. I am sure he will not be much of a bother." Suddenly, a smashing sound came from the window and a croquet mallet had landed at Melanie's feet. Cool air blew in and she heard the man from the yard yell in anger.

"God damn it! Croquet is for fuckin' Commies!" Melanie turned to Wadsworth awe-struck, but he seemed unsurprised.

"Did he just throw a croquet mallet in here? We're on the fourth floor!"

"Yes. The Colonel has quite the arm. Shall I show you to your new room?" Wadsworth asked as he immediately picked up her luggage and headed for the door. She stood there shocked and a little confused before she followed him, afraid of being hit by anything else that would possibly fly through the window. They walked down the hallway past a few doors and entered a new room. It looked pretty much the same as the other room aside from the fact that the window in this room was not broken. Wadsworth placed Melanie's bags onto my bed and bode her farewell before heading downstairs to start dinner. She walked to her bed and began to unpack when she heard a knock on the door. She opened and the smell of strong flowery perfume poured into the room.

A woman, probably early thirties, was leaning against the doorframe in a low-cut red dress not appropriate for a lady. Her raven hair covered her face that was caked in makeup.

"Hey there, darlin'. I just arrived her and I thought since there were so few people here, I'd introduce myself to everyone. We're room neighbors! I just hate being anti-social, don't you? Whatcha doing her all by your lonesome? Shouldn't you be snuggling by the fire with your sweetheart? Oh wait. How rude of me, my name is Alexandra Scarlett, what's yours?" Melanie was startled by so many questions being thrown at her.

"I'm Melanie Peacock. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine." Her sweet, Southern drawl dripped off her words sensually and she brushed past Melanie gliding to the center of the room.

_I don't remember asking you to come in, but whatever._

Alexandra turned around smiling at Melanie and she just smiled back at her awkwardly. Suddenly she frowned and crossed her arms.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Melanie asked, confused by the strange woman's sudden change in attitude.

"Do you not recognize me?"

"How can I recognize someone I've never met before?" Alexandra's impatient look dropped into a pout.

"I'm Alexandra Scarlett. The **_famous_** movie actress? The Monster Maker, The Deer Slayer, The Black Raven? Any of those ringin' a bell?" Melanie's face dropped into utter horror. Melanie went to the movie theatre on a regular basis, but she had never heard any of those titles before.

_She must not be very good._

"I'm afraid I'm not that interested in movies." She lied, trying to comfort the stranger in her room and hide her expression. A smile reappeared on the Alexandra's lips.

"Of course that's what it is!" she squealed in a high pitched voice.

Supper that night was uncomfortably quiet. Wadsworth stood in the corner of the dining room patiently waiting to see if anyone needed something. Deciding that Melanie was her new best friend, Alexandra sat next to her and even scooted her chair uncomfortably close to her. By Melanie's count, everyone was at the table except for one person. Aside from Wadsworth, Miss Alexandra Scarlett, and herself, there was one woman and three men in the dining room. There was one, she deduced, that was most likely Colonel Mustard due to the fact that he wore his uniform to supper for some strange reason.

The other person she knew was Mr. Body and that was only because of the portrait at the entrance. His hooked nose was an instant identifier. She had no clue who the last man or who the woman was. The mysterious unknown man slouched over and looked at her with shifty eyes. His hair was slicked back and he was very frail looking.

The woman on the other hand had bright red curly hair framing her chubby face. The two were polar opposites. They all slurped at their soups politely, staring at each other and looked away when they accidentally locked eyes. No one spoke except for the chubby red-haired lady and Mr. Body giggling flirtatiously at each other at the end of the table. Melanie looked down condescendingly at the owner of the hotel as she gently blew on her hot soup.

He hadn't even made an effort to greet her in the five hours she had been there.

_It seems like Wadsworth is more of the owner than that guy is._

After supper, all the guests went their separate ways. Colonel Mustard went to the Conservatory and Alexandra followed after him, most likely to flirt. Wadsworth went into the kitchen to wash the dishes and put away the leftovers. The other woman and Mr. Body traveled upstairs all over each other, giggling all the way. The beady-eyed old man simply disappeared into thin air.

Melanie went up to her room to brush her teeth once she was left all by herself. The hallway to her room was quiet and shadows danced across the walls. Her room was just as she had left it, though a faint smell of Alexandra' perfume still lingered. Melanie considered staying in her room for the night, but decided against it and decided to creep down to the library. She opened the door and saw the frail man with the shifty eyes slouched in an armchair drinking bourbon.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir! Let me just…"

"Don't bother. I was about to leave anyways." His voice was thick with a German accent and his appearance looked even rougher than initially thought. The man's silver hair had become unruly and a glass was grasped tightly in his hand

"No really! It's perfectly fine!" Melanie squeaked. "I'm Melanie Peacock."

"I do not recall asking your name, but common courtesy says I should tell you mine. I am Professor Edwin Plum."

"Wow you're a professor?" Melanie asked, her eyes lighting up. "What do you teach?"

"I am currently teaching chemistry at Boston College. Unfortunately, it seems that the College Board has decided that my teaching career must end once I return from vacation."

"Oh. I'm so…"

"I do not need your sympathy. Now if you'll excuse me, I shall take my leave." The man cautiously stood up and sluggishly made his way towards the door.

_What a creepy fellow. _ The man left and Melanie sighed, feeling a little bad for chasing him out. She searched around the library looking for the perfect book before picking up a rather large novel from a bookshelf and sat back into the lounge chair. The only light available was the one lamp beside her and the flickering flames emanating from the fireplace. She curled her legs underneath her and smiled as she heard the book's spine cracking when the cover was opened.

_Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,  
>Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,<br>While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,  
>As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door…<em>

"Why hello there, Miss!" His booming voice from behind startled Melanie and she screamed as the book escaped from her hands, falling to the floor with a thud. "I am Colonel Daniel Mustard. What's your name?" The man walked towards the fire and stood in front of her. Though she didn't get a good look of him before, Melanie certainly saw him now. Despite the fact that it was only eight thirty, the man wore yellow silk pajamas and had his grey hair sat on his head messily. His silver moustache hung on his fat face like a horseshoe.

"Uh, Melanie Peacock." She said nervously. The Colonel's round belly shook as he laughed loudly and sat down in the chair facing her.

"Peacock? Is your father Colonel Robert Peacock by chance?"

"Yes... How did you know that?"

"Why, I fought alongside your father on the Western front! I remember we'd play poker for cigarettes and he'd always let me win. He was never much of a smoking man, you know. He always talked about his beautiful wife, but I was totally unaware he had such a beautiful daughter."

"Yes, they had me when he got back from the war." He seemed to know a lot about her family, but she knew absolutely nothing about him. It was a tad unsettling.

"Splendid! How is the old, chap anyways?"

"He uh, he died… back in October." His grin slowly fell and he looked at her somberly. They sat there staring at each other awkwardly.

"Ah I'm sorry. What happened?"

"He was mugged on the way home from the bar one night. They shot him when he wouldn't give up his money." A silence fell upon the room as they looked into the fire. The only thing that could be heard was the howling wind outside. She jumped out her seat when the silence was broken by a loud knock on the door. Wadsworth's muffled footsteps trotted down the staircase and she heard the front door open.

Completely forgetting the Colonel was there, Melanie stepped over her long-forgotten book and walked over to the door. She cracked the door open ever so slightly and pressed her ear against it to hear what was being said.

_What am I doing? My curiosity has never gotten the best of me before._

"Hello Sir. I am Wadsworth the butler."

"Uh, I'm Brett."

"Splendid. We've been expecting you."

"I've always wanted to ask. What's a butler do anyways?"

"Butlers buttle, sir. Shall I take your luggage?"

"No!" The man said suddenly. "Uh, I'm fine."

"Very good then. Let me show you to your room." She peered through the crack in the door to see the two gentlemen walk up the staircase. The man behind Wadsworth had a charismatic but dark aura about him. He wore a long beige trench coat and held a worn, old overnight bag in his hand. His curly brown hair covered his eyes, but she could tell that he was absolutely gorgeous. Her breath caught in her throat when she could have sworn that the man looked at her

"That fellow looks a little suspicious if you ask me." Mustard's voice suddenly whispered behind her. Melanie jumped again and turned to him, accidentally closing the door rather loudly.

"Don't scare me like that!" she whispered angrily, blushing furiously. She wasn't embarrassed at being scared, but at being caught snooping.

"No point in whispering any more since you slammed the door shut." Melanie blushed even harder.

"Well it's been a pleasure meeting you Colonel, but I'm afraid that it's time to head off to bed." She said, the words rushing out her mouth. She opened the door and ran up the steps, literally smashing into Wadsworth on her way back to her room.

"Ah! Miss Peacock, I would like to introduce you to the last guest." He announced with a grin on his face. Melanie glanced over to the new person and was astounded. Her assumption of the man's looks was correct; he was unbelievably handsome.

"I'm Melanie. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Brett and the pleasure is all mine." He smirked as he gently nodded. She blushed and glued her eyes to the floor.

_Why am I being so damnably shy? I'm acting like a hormonal schoolgirl!_

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go to bed now." Melanie rushed and practically sprinted back to the safety of the room that she hadn't even spent a day in.


	2. December 17th, 1946

_MMH: Wooh! I'm so excited. Christmas time is here so I thought I'd start this old baby up again. Don't forget to review and/or favorite!_

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><p><strong>December 17th, 1946<strong>

Melanie awoke the next morning feeling exhausted. She had gone to bed early, but hadn't slept at all since the new place had her riddled with anxiety_._ Insomnia had frequently been an issue for her since she was a child and no doctor had been able to help her with it. There was also an unsettling thump just as she was about to fall asleep that had left her completely awake for a vast majority of the night.

The room was chilly since the fire in the fireplace had died out and there was no heater to be found. She rolled out of bed and slowly trudged over to the vanity table huddled in a corner. Her short, curly brown hair stuck out every which way and small bags hung under her dull blue eyes. She sighed to herself in apathy before continuing over to the bathroom. Today was going to be a long day.

After cleaning up and getting dressed in a blue turtleneck and a plaid skirt, Melanie closed the door to her bedroom and turned around to slam right into a firm slab of muscle. She gently pushed off the wall of fabric and looked up to see the man she ran into last night.

"You seem to have a habit of running into people." He peered down at her and gave a charming smirk. His warm chocolate eyes pierced right through her and she felt breathless.

"Sorry." Melanie managed to squeak out and glued her focus to the floor, afraid to keep eye contact with the attractive stranger.

"Don't worry, I find it's rather adorable. You're Melanie, am I correct?" The man asked politely. She nodded shyly and rubbed her neck.

"I'm afraid I have a terrible memory. What was your name?"

"I'm Brett… Green." The man added his last name as if he had to think about it. That thought confused Melanie, but she quickly swept it aside. It was entirely possible that he simply added his last name as an afterthought. "Are you heading down to breakfast?" he asked politely. She looked up with a smile on her small face.

"Yes. I'm afraid I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm hoping some warm food will make me feel better." The man looked at Melanie concerned and took a step closer to her. Warmth radiated from his body and it was then that she realized how cold she had been before.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Allow me to escort you." Brett looped his arm around hers and the two made their way downstairs.

"Thank you." The couple walked into the dining room to see that Wadsworth had already set up all the food for breakfast. Mrs. White and Professor Plum sat next to one another chattering idly on one end of the table while the Colonel sat on the end closest to the kitchen. Deciding to sit at the end, Brett chivalrously pulled out Melanie's chair next to the Colonel's and sat next to her.

"I see you've made a friend." The older man noted with a grin on his face. Melanie grabbed the napkin and placed it gently onto her lap.

"This is Mr. Green." She said as she shyly gestured to the young man beside her. He stuck out his hand to the older man and smiled cordially. Mustard was no longer wearing his uniform and was instead donned in a thick, cream-colored wool sweater.

"The name's Brett. It's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel." Brett was so charismatic and Melanie could do little but sit back in awe.

"Aye! And I you." The colonel smiled as his cheeks grew red with his hearty laughter. After the older man returned to his sausage and eggs, Melanie and Brett continued their conversation.

"You sure are full of manners." Green playfully teased and Melanie's cheeks flushed.

"Ah yes, my mother insisted I take debutante classes when I was younger and I suppose the behavior stuck with me."

"Well I hope I don't offend. The only thing I know how to do is eat with my mouth closed and that's about it." He smiled.

"Not at all." Miss Peacock giggled and looked at the man she was talking to appreciatively. He certainly had a rustic charm to him that she had not seen at the country club she had gone to growing up. While the majority of the country had been deeply affected by the Great Depression, she and her family were living in luxury thanks to her grandfather's luck in the oil business. Allowing her mind to get ahead of her, Melanie imagined Brett to be the kind of person to help out at soup kitchens feeding the poor while he was barely better off than they were. It was rather silly, but romantic.

"Hey look." Brett whispered as he nodded his head down the table. Melanie leaned over and saw Mrs. White looking at the pair with a sentimental appreciation as her head rested in her hands. However she swiftly turned to feign a conversation with the Professor when she realized she was caught. Brett and Melanie giggled at the older woman, but more in an endearing manner than teasing.

"She's probably quite the romantic." She said without thinking as she propped her head in her hand.

"What makes you say that?" he questioned curiously. Melanie looked at the young man slightly embarrassed. She had always enjoyed watching others; it made writing people easier for her, but it was embarrassing the more she had thought about it.

"Her posture and mannerisms. Everything she does is so fluent and soft." Melanie stated softly as she looked at the older woman thoughtfully. She reminded her quite a bit of her mother before her father died. Quickly remembering how she was supposed to hate her mother at the moment, the young woman cleared her throat and turned to Brett. "Plus, I can't imagine her being the type to marry for money or anything like that."

"True. You're very good at reading people."

"Has anyone seen Mr. Body?" The Colonel asked when he looked up and realized that the host had not yet made his presence known. Mrs. White suddenly stiffened and put the fork she was using on the table. Despite that she had tried to place the item down casually the utensil dropped to the table with an awkward clang.

"He is currently up in his room sleeping like the dead. It seems that last night left him quite under the weather." She stated politely before carefully picking up her fork again with a shaking hand. Though everyone pretended not to noticed, Melanie caught a slight sneer appear on the woman's face. The people at the table exchanged uncomfortable glances but decided not to say anything. _They must have not gotten off very well._

"There you are Melanie! I went up to your room, but you weren't there." Melanie turned towards the voice to see Alexandra gliding towards the table. She was wearing a deep red wool knitted dress that was much more conservative than the outfit the night before. It had long sleeves and the ribbed pattern tightened against her ample bosom.

"I'm sorry. Brett asked if he could escort me to breakfast and I didn't know you'd want me to come with you." Melanie smiled weakly as she gestured to the young man at her side. Miss Scarlett looked at Brett with feigned interest.

"Oh. I'll just sit next to the Colonel, then." She said. Brett stood suddenly and pulled out his seat for the beautiful woman.

"No it's fine I was just about to leave." He insisted. Casually Alex took the spot and he gently pushed the chair in for her. Brett looked to Melanie and smiled before nodding his head as a goodbye. "I'll see you around Miss Peacock."

"He's attractive." Scarlett whispered into the Melanie's ear as Brett left and she blushed furiously. The dining room fell silent, but instead of awkward like it had been last night it was now peaceful. However that peacefulness was broken when they heard Mr. Body's heavy footsteps trod down the stairs. His clumsy figure slammed against the doorframe, looking in at everyone with burning hostility. Three scratches surrounded by dried blood decorated his cheek as he scanned the room hazardously. He glared over his guests, especially Mrs. White, before his eyes caught the empty chair next on the other side of Miss Scarlett.

"Alexandra, beautiful as always. Who's your new friend?" he crooned as he took the spot and grabbed a spoonful of scrambled eggs before shoving it into his mouth. Melanie did not appreciate the way Mr. Body spoke to the two women. His voice dripped with desire for both her and Miss Scarlett. She now had a good assumption of why he and Mrs. White did not get along.

"I'm Melanie Peacock. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"The pleasure is all mine." He said, his words dripping with lust. Melanie tried her hardest not to gag and she placed her hands in her lap. Alex, disgusted by the new presence, stood and grabbed Miss Peacock's hand.

"Let's go Melanie. I'm not hungry anymore. Would you like to talk a walk around the grounds with me?" she rushed, clearly wanting to leave as soon as possible.

"Sure. That sounds lovely." She agreed.

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><p>The two women had been walking all throughout the manor for about thirty minutes, exploring every crevice and cranny out of boredom. The weather outside had calmed down considerably and now gentle snowflakes stuck to each window they passed. The pair had started up on the third floor and were now making their way along the first floor back to the dining room.<p>

"So what brings you here anyways?" Melanie asked. She was rather curious about why all the guests had chosen to reside in the Compass Manor. Surely they had families to spend Christmas with, unlike her.

"Mr. Body is my uncle." Miss Scarlett's words had barely been registered by the other woman, who looked at her in astonishment. How could such a creepy fellow be related to such a kind, albeit gratuitously promiscuous, woman?

"Really?"

"Well, sort of; his brother married my aunt. He's quite horrible if you ask me, but he's the only sort of family I have left."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Melanie comforted, both for Miss Scarlett's relation to the owner and for her family's deaths.

"Oh it's nothing really; just a series of unfortunate events." A brief sad silence fell between the two as Alex looked around the hall with nostalgia in her eyes. "I used to come here all the time when I was younger. Funny how you forget little details like the color of the doors or the feel of the carpet. I remember my father used to walk with me down the halls on Sundays. It was nice. Now I can't even remember what color his eyes were."

"Time can be cruel that way." Melanie sighed in agreement. She too was forgetting little details about her father that she would probably never get back.

"How dare you treat a lady in such a way?!" the women heard someone shout from the lounge. The two exchanged glances before running towards the racket to inspect what had happened.

"This is my manor and I'll do whatever I want." Mr. Body said as he folded his arms defiantly. He and the colonel were standing in the center of the room having a heated discussion with Mrs. White backed up in a corner looking very scared. Alex and Melanie weren't the only ones to have heard the noise because both Brett and Wadsworth rushed in after them. Colonel Mustard's face was now a deep crimson and he leapt at the owner. The colonel certainly had an advantage over the much scrawnier man, but didn't have the time to do much damage. Wadsworth and Brett sprinted over to the two and quickly pulled them apart.

"I'm terribly sorry Colonel, but if you keep acting this way I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave." The butler did honestly sound sorry. Mustard eventually calmed himself and the two men let him go.

"Alright, no need to gang up on me. I'll leave 'im alone." The colonel said as he brushed the wrinkles out of his sweater. Mr. Body puffed up his chest in triumph and stormed out of the room, but not before ramming into Professor Plum who had just entered to investigate the noise.

"Out of my way, you fucking faggot." The owner seethed as he passed the older man. Plum watched him go, his face heavy with horror and embarrassment. Wadsworth quickly followed after the owner, most likely to calm him down. Melanie ran to Mrs. White who was no longer in the corner but instead anxiously sitting in a chair. She crouched in front of the woman with a calming expression.

"Are you alright, ma'am?"

"Yes, dearie. It seems that we weren't properly introduced this morning. My name is Debora White." The older woman stuck out a shaky manicured hand and the younger woman took it. Melanie's skin warmed Mrs. White's practically frozen hand.

"I'm Melanie Peacock."

"What a beautiful name. I wanted to name my daughter Melanie, but my husband liked the name Beth better."

"You have a husband?" Melanie asked, trying to hide her surprise. What was a married woman doing all alone during a holiday?

"Well, I suppose you could say I did. He… passed away." Mrs. White said as she blinked rapidly, most likely to hold back tears.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that. My father passed away just recently." It suddenly made sense of why this sweet woman was willing to put up with such a seemingly unbearable man. She was lonely. Debora swallowed uncomfortably and gave the younger woman a comforting smile.

"Are you alright Missus White?" the colonel asked as he walked over and crouched down beside Melanie.

"Yes I'm fine. You didn't have to confront him like that."

"He tried to rape poor you, ma'am! I had to do something."

"How awful." Alex, who was now standing behind Melanie, clucked her tongue and folded her arms in disapproval.

"I tried to make 'im apologize, but he refused. I guess things got a little out of hand after that."

"I think you did the right thing, Colonel. No need to be ashamed if you're fighting for a lady's honor." Professor Plum comforted the stout man who slumped his shoulders in defeat. Everyone nodded in agreement with what the professor had said.

"That's right! Besides everyone here likes you far more than Mr. Body anyway." Alexandra added and rubbed the older man's back appreciatively.

"You alright there, Colonel?" Brett asked as he headed over to the group. Melanie glanced down to the ground, smiling at his presence.

"Yes I'm fine. I just suppose I let my temper get the best of me, Mr. Green." The colonel greeted sheepishly and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Please, call me Brett."

"Hello Brett." Melanie whispered shyly. He looked at her and his whole face lit up. He smiled at her happily and nodded his head as acknowledgement.

"Well now that the situation has been resolved I think I'll head back to my room for a nap." Mrs. White muttered calmly. Soon everyone followed suit and went about to either explore or sit around in their room.

Melanie had been staring at her pen and paper for about twenty minutes trying to come up with the plot for her new story. The instant she returned to her room she sprawled around on her bed and tried to get to work. Where was she to begin? _Surely I can grab some inspiration from what's going on around me. _She thought. She wrote down the names of everyone in the manor and their characteristics.

"… Let's see, Miss Scarlett is quite the social butterfly and Mrs. White reminds me of a caring stay-at-home mother. That's everyone. Now what can I do with this? Maybe they're all family members gathering at Thanksgiving? No, no… that's stupid." She said to herself. A soft knocking pulled Melanie from the conversation with herself and she looked to the door that she had left open. Professor Plum was staring at her with his beady eyes, only this time a hint of nervousness was hidden in them. His black hair was streaked with lines of silver and he attempted a tight smile.

"Hello madam, the other guests and I wanted to know if you were coming to lunch." He announced. His thick accent was quite a distraction.

"Oh I would, but I really do have to start this stupid book. If I don't start now there's no way I'll be done when I get back."

"Alright. Supper then." He said, making his request sound more like a demand. Melanie nodded and the professor stood watching her for a moment before taking his leave.

"What a strange man." She whispered before turning back to her work.

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><p>"What a terrible mess, you've caused. I'll have to bleach the tub." Wadsworth looked down in the tub with disgust. This was not the first time Mr. Body had caused such an untidy disturbance. "What would you like me to do with it?" he sighed as he looked over to the drunken man.<p>

"Bring the torso to the kitchen and hang it in the freezer. Toss the rest out in the woods I suppose. Let the vultures eat them."

"Of course, sir." Wadsworth grabbed the body and shoved it into the trash bag he had brought with him. He pulled at the straps and heaved the bag over his shoulder before leaving the room, accidentally leaving the door open.

Mr. Body had consumed a bit too much brandy by the time he had gotten back to his room. His day had been utterly terrible. First, that Mrs. White led him along and then punched him in the eye, and then he got into that scuffle with the hot-tempered Colonel. Not to mention that Alex's appearance had put a total damper on his entire holiday. How dare she think she had rights being there? Lunch had been horrible and he had left early, deciding to go hunting. Now he was stuck with a giant corpse in his tub.

"Hey, what are you doing in my room? Get out." The man slurred as he stared at the blurry silhouette. Instead of leaving, the figure moved into the room and quietly closed the door. "Are you fucking deaf? I said get out." Without saying a word the person grasped the handle of a knife that had been hidden in their pocket and sliced at the man's neck. The thin red lined quickly began gushing warm red trickles of blood. Mr. Body opened his mouth in surprise and tried to speak, but nothing came out but gurgles. He reached up to his neck and his eyes grew wide at how much blood was pouring out. The person watched as Mr. Body stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. He was in shock. His body convulsed and he grabbed fistfuls of his rug, his hand staining the lovely green fabric. The blade had cut him rather deeply so it made sense that he would have that much blood loss so quickly. Wadsworth would be back soon and Mr. Body had to be hidden, but where?

"The closet'll have to do for now."

* * *

><p>Dinner had been rather pleasant. Mr. Body had decided not to join the guests and Melanie had gotten the chance to have a little chat with the others. It seemed that very few had intentions of actually staying at the manor for the holidays. Mrs. White was on her way to her mother's house for New Year's, Professor Plum was on his way to a chemistry seminar in New York, and Colonel Mustard was in the area to check out a house that was for sale.<p>

"Yes I will probably leave on the twenty-second seeing as that the seminar is on the third and I'd like to settle into my hotel." The professor noted. Melanie feigned a frown and patted his hand in comfort.

"That's too bad. I'm sure we'll miss you when we gather around the tree." She said. After supper Melanie returned to her room to continue her book. Though she didn't have much, it was a decent start. She had finally decided to have her characters come together because of the apocalypse. It was a rather dark subject, but it didn't really matter to her. Yet another knock on her door stopped Melanie just as she was about to sit at her desk. Letting out an exasperated sigh she got up and opened the door.

"Hello, love."

"Alexandra. What are you doing awake?" Melanie asked surprised.

"Not everyone goes to bed at ten-thirty, you know." The lady teased as she glided into Melanie's room with a small makeup bag in tow. The young woman's eyes drooped to the ground in embarrassment. The two women sat on the giant bed when Miss Scarlett grinned mischievously. "Let me paint your toes! It'll be like we're teenagers again." She squealed.

"Oh no, there's no need…"

"Relax, it's fun!"

"Please don't. I hate my feet." Melanie pleaded as she pulled her feet underneath her bottom. It was a silly thing to hate, but it didn't matter to Melanie. She had grown up having quite large feet and she was frequently teased because of them.

"Don't worry, love. Mine are probably far more boorish than yours. Now let me see!" Alex finally managed to capture Melanie's manly feet and she pried them from their hiding spot. "So what do you think of everyone here?" Scarlett gossiped.

"Everyone is fine I suppose. Mrs. White is rather nice and the Colonel reminds me a lot of my father."

"What about Brett?" Alexandra hinted playfully and wiggled her eyebrows at Melanie expectantly.

"He seems rather nice as well." Melanie noted.

"Aw c'mon that can't be the only thing you think about him." She teased and gently blew on Melanie's pedicured feet.

"Honestly I don't know that much about Mr. Green to make a decent assessment, but he is rather dashing isn't he?" Peacock confessed. The two women fell into a fit of giggles in agreement.

"Alright, fair enough. But that Professor Plum certainly gives me the willies. I just know that can't be his real last name; no way with that thick German accent." Melanie felt a slightly upset pout form. Though the Professor was somewhat intimidating (and agreeing with her friend's opinion, rather creepy), there was no reason for him to be judged based on his nationality. He should be judged based on his character, not where he was born. Unfortunately she realized that she was one of the few that believed that.

"He probably changed it during the war to avoid harsh disapproval." Melanie said as she pulled on the hem of her shirt.

"Well he did anyways. I heard that's why he got fired."

"How horrible! Where did you hear that?" the younger woman gasped.

"From the professor himself. He was talking to Wadsworth about it earlier this evening."

"That's so sad."

"Oh shoot. A thread's come loose in my sleeve." Alexandra huffed. A red string dangled on the woman's elbow and she pouted. "I'll be right back." Melanie sat on her bed for a moment waiting for her friend to come back when the lights flickered briefly before the room went entirely dark. She heard the scream and fumbled her way to the door.

"Alex?" Melanie called out down the hall.

"I'm here!" her voice called out, somewhere downstairs. What was she doing so far from her room? Surely that's where she meant to go. Resting her hand on the wall, Melanie carefully rummaged her way to the staircase and tiptoed down the stairs. She squinted at the ground to see the faint outline of Alexandra. "What on earth are you doing down here?"

"I went to ask Wadsworth where some scissors were and I was on the stairs when the power went out." The woman pouted.

"Did you fall? Are you hurt?" Melanie asked concerned, checking the woman's face for any possible wounds.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just a bruised bottom I'm sure." Alexandra joked. Miss Peacock helped the other woman up.

"If everyone would please head down to the lounge to make sure everyone is safe." They heard Wadsworth's voice boom throughout the halls of the manor. The noise bounced off the walls and the cold marble floor.

"We're already practically there!" Alex said a hint of playfulness in her voice. The two women headed into the lounge to thankfully find that a few candles had already been set up and lit for lighting.

"I hate this." Melanie whispered as she headed to a nearby cabinet in search for another candle to light.

"Don't worry. The dark isn't that scary." Scarlett gently teased as she wrapped a hand around Melanie's arm. Melanie looked down at the offending appendage confused, but didn't remove it. The two continued to search the cabinet and eventually found two more candles. Heading over to one of the lit candlestick, the women stuck the wicks in the fire and they were consumed in flames.

"What is scary then?" Peacock asked.

"Being forgotten." Melanie glanced over at Alex taken aback by the abrupt statement. She was also taken aback by how much it related to her situation at that moment. Her mother was probably on a beach right now pretending that her daughter didn't even exist. The guests filed into the room one by one and took seats waiting for everyone to arrive. When Brett entered he made a bee-line for the two younger women and stood beside Miss Peacock. Soon all were there; all but Mr. Body.

"Where on Earth could he be?" Melanie asked curiously.

"That man can sleep through a cattle drive. I wouldn't worry." The group turned towards the voice to see Wadsworth standing in the doorway. His hair was disheveled and dirt stained his once tidy tuxedo.

"Wadsworth Why is your suit all dirty?" Alexandra asked, slightly worried. Brett and Melanie looked curiously over to the butler and saw that his suit was all tattered and stained with a dark substance.

"Forgive me. There was a… hindrance that needed to be taken care of. I checked the power outlets, but there seems to be nothing wrong with them. I suggest that everyone go back to their rooms and wait this bad weather out." Everyone made noises of agreement or annoyance for being woken up for no real reason.

"Would you like me to walk you back to your room?" Brett asked politely and held out his hand to her. Melanie felt her face flush slightly.

"Oh no, she'll be—" Alexandra attempted to say, but she was interrupted by her friend.

"I'd love that." Melanie said completely forgetting that she had previously been talking with Miss Scarlett before the power went out. She took Brett's hand and the two headed back upstairs.

"I'd love to walk you back to your room, madam." Professor Plum slid beside Alexandra who glared at the old man and folded her arms in disgust.

"Oh shut up." She let out an angry huff before storming up to her room with the professor sighing in defeat before heading to the kitchen for a glass of wine.

"It can be quite dangerous in the dark if you're not careful." Brett whispered as he turned to her. Though he was quite a bit taller than she was, his face was rather close. Not that Miss Peacock minded.

"I'm sure I'll be fine with you by my side." She smiled.

* * *

><p>A thick cord wrapped around the Professor's neck and tightened quickly, cutting off all air. He reached up towards his neck and pulled at his clumsily, but his frail state left him quite unable to defend himself. The figure continued to tighten the coiled cord until there was a distinct sound of Professor Plum's larynx crunching. The man fell limp and all of his deadweight was thrown upon the hidden figure who gently guided him to the floor and took a breath. The cord that was used to tie up the curtains fell from the persons hand. The professor was not supposed to die. The old coot decided to check up on Mr. Body only to see that the figure was trying to move the now dead owner. The plan was going to have to be changed, it seemed. The figure awkwardly dragged the corpse of the man to the closet that was hiding Mr. Body. The person and placed him on the ground before throwing a couple jackets on top of the pair of bodies.<p> 


End file.
